observing 1 of 3

Definition of observingnext

observing

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noun

observing

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verb

present participle of observe
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of observing
Noun
For an even more enhanced observing experience, find a dark environment away from bright lights to attend the total eclipse show. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026 The best binoculars, monoculars and telescopes for eclipse night will also be superb for planetary observing, deep-sky exploration, wildlife watching and travel. Jamie Carter, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026 There is discussion in the news nationwide about legal observing and know-your-rights training sessions. Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2026 In civil-rights circles, that work falls under the broad definition of legal observing. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026 In fact, during the first period of the fourth observing run (known as O4A), LIGO saw more gravitational wave events than from all previous observing runs combined. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025 This combination of talking and observing has immediate benefits. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Aug. 2025 Birdwatching is the observing of birds either as a recreational activity or citizen science. Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
The wars in Iran and Ukraine will be top of the agenda, while South Africa, which was supposed to attend as an observing nation, says France withdrew its G7 invitation after the US threatened to boycott. Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026 Kay visited a university snow observing site in the Rockies this week and found only patchy, slushy snow cover that was melting rapidly. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026 After observing the birth, the scientists created software to analyze exactly what was going on. Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026 The astronauts will spend the day observing and photographing the far side of the moon, parts of which have never been seen by human eyes, and then circle it for a return to Earth. Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 In its time orbiting Earth, Hubble has shaped our understanding of the universe by observing the atmospheric composition of planets around other stars and even discovering dark energy – a mysterious force that causes the universe to expand. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 The good news is that, as everyone keeps observing, the airport is a notoriously calm place where people are always at their best. Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026 Heavy explosions shook Dubai early Friday as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over the city, where people were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and mosques made the day's first call to prayers. CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026 Heavy explosions shook Dubai as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over the city, where many were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observing
Adjective
  • Legal observers are neutral, non-participating watchers who often attend police actions to witness, document and monitor law enforcement behavior.
    George Petras, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Some of that can surely be chalked up to missing out on the rest and recharge that non-participating players took advantage of during that break, and McLellan confirmed recently that Larkin came back from the tournament banged up, which hampered him.
    Max Bultman, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Her grandmother was aware of the school and had Wairimu referred.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The police opened the investigation into these claims in 2016, and the BBC was made aware in 2017 (though, BBC News has said, then-director-general Tony Hall did not know about the investigation).
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Vera Rubin, an astronomer whose observations of galaxy rotation curves in the 1970s provided the first robust evidence for dark matter's existence, embraced her Jewish faith as a guide to understanding her role in the universe.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Let every new person, every new opportunity be greeted with neutrality, then observation, then placement.
    Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • A week before the tournament began Marion County Public Health Department officials and Mayor Joe Hogsett asked attendees to make smart public health choices, such as social distancing and obeying the face masks mandate.
    Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Soon, Melling’s Colin is obeying his lover’s every order, including by shaving himself bald and sleeping like a dog on the floor.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • His words were underscored when police in Israel stopped Catholic leaders from celebrating a private Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, built on the spot where Jesus was thought to have been crucified.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In 2026, Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday on March 29 through Easter Sunday on April 5, commemorating the events leading up to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and celebrating his resurrection.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Chief among them are the many boat trips from neighboring Cabo San Lucas (a 35-minute drive away) particularly during whale-watching season, which runs from December to April.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Enough time has passed that watching the final episode — the plane crash and its aftermath — wasn’t difficult for Noonan.
    Kate Storey, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • What To Know As the conflict enters its second month, several world leaders are speaking directly to their populations, reflecting how the war's impact has spread well beyond the battlefield.
    Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The Comments Tell Their Own Story The video’s comment section has become a gathering place for users reflecting on YouTube’s evolution and their own relationship with the platform.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Writers Raoul Groothuizen and Christina Poppe came up with the idea back in 2018, after noticing a sharp rise in racist rhetoric among the Flemish far-right.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Scientists had long assumed most of the moon lay beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, but in 2019 scientists began noticing something odd about the experiment’s data that suggested the moon was somewhat protected from galactic cosmic rays.
    K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Observing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observing. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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